Jaipur: With Covid-19 raging across Rajasthan leading to record numbers of infected persons and deaths, the opposition BJP has taken the lead over the ruling Congress in providing contributions to the CM relief fund.
The BJP MLAs have announced to give one month’s salary to the CM relief fund. But no such announcement has come from the Congress legislators.
In view of the alarming spread of Covid-19 in the state, the government has appealed to people to make donations which will be used to ramp up essential medical supplies and infrastructure. In view of this, the CM relief fund has been getting contributions from donors and the opposition BJP MLAs.
On Thursday, Rajasthan saw a record 17,269 new Covid-19 cases, taking the total positive cases to 5,80,846. A record 158 deaths took place, taking the total in the state to 4084. The active cases have seen a huge increase in April to 1,69,519.
The leader of opposition Gulab Chand Kataria made an announcement four days back that the 72 BJP MLAs would give one month’s salary towards the CM relief fund.
However, the Congress legislature party is yet to take a decision in this regard. The CM is the head of the Congress legislature party and the decision has been left to him.
In the first wave of coronavirus last year, it was the Congress MLAs who had announced that they would give one month’s salary to the relief fund. However, this time around, the Congress is lagging.
Congress chief whip in the assembly Mahesh Joshi said that a decision will be taken after discussions with the CM.
Assembly speaker Dr CP Joshi too announced to contribute one month’s salary to the CM relief fund. He appealed to people to come forward and donate.
State Congress chief Govind Singh Dotasara too said he will give one month’s salary in the relief fund. He too appealed to philanthropists to make donations.
Former legislators too will contribute to the CM relief fund. Former MLA Association president Hari Mohan Sharma said former MLAs will also give help. He said the association had discussed with members and taken a decision to make a contribution to the fund.
In the first wave of coronavirus last year, the CM relief fund had got Rs609.53 crore in donations. The highest amount of Rs324 crore was garnered from the salary cut of government employees. The government has so far spent Rs210 crore from the total amount while around Rs400 crore is still remaining.